Method of and machine for operating upon shoes



Jan. 19 1926.

c. DE MINICO 7 METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHOES Original Filed Sept. 20 1919 Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED sures PATENT OFFiCE.

masses or; MINICO, ornosron, massaonusnrrs, assrenon [me es snon MACHINERY ooaroanrrou, or ra'rnnsou, new JERSEY, A conronarron on NEW JERSEY.

METHOD or AND MAcnrNn Foe OPERATING uron srrons.

Application filed September 20, 1919,

To all w 71.022? it may concern Be it known that I Crmnnus Dn Mrivico, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Iinprovements in Methods of and Machines for Operating upon Shoes, of which the following descriptlon, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like.

reference characters on the drawings indieating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to shoemaking and specifically to working portions of a shoe upper into lasted position, and to evening the bottom surface formed by portions of the upper.

In the manufacture of various kinds of shoes the upper is first pulled over the edge of the insole and the pulled-oyer portion is then attached temporarily to the insole and subsequently this and other portions are worked inwardly over the insole to tighten the upper against'the last. Incidentally to this operation the worked-over portion is plaited or crimped in some places, especially at the ends of the insole, and the crimps or plaits must be flattened or reduced in order to even the bottom surface of the shoe before the outsole is laid. If the upper material is thick the aforesaid crimps are very prominent and consequently the difficulty ofevening' the bottom of the shoe is more difficult and requires more time than when the upper material is thin. Thesecrimps are especially bulky in arctics and other rubber shoes] and for this reason it has been the practice heretofore to trim the crimps and then to reduce them further by pounding them. The formation of crimps occurs also in shoes that have uppers made of leather or woven fabric, but for well-known reasons it is sometimes not feasible to trim the crimps in such shoes and it has been the practice to reduce them as much as possible merely by pounding them. In most shoes, when the margin of the upper is first pulled over upon Serial at. 325,237. mead January 11, 1924.

the insole it is temporarily secured to the latter by a relatively small number of tacks, and in many shoes it is the practice to secure the pulled-over margin to the insole by adhesion with or without the use of tacks.

One object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of making shoes with special reference to the overworking of the upper, the evening of the bottom and the conforming of the upper and the insole to the concavity in the shank portion of the last. In order to disclose as fully as possible the several aspects of the invention it is illustrated and described with special reference to ashoe of the arctic-type since such shoe affords a convenient example for the purpose of disclosure. In one aspect tively to the insole in a direction such as to tlghten theupper against the last while applying successive pounding impulses to the said portion in a direction to promote adhesion of the marginal portion to the insole as the upper is being tightened.

In further aspect the invention provides an improved method of making shoes which consists in imparting upper-tightening movement to the marginal portion of the upper by moving the shoe in the plane of a beating face while the latter is vibrating to even the bottom of the marginal portion and to pro mote adhesion between said portion and the face of the insole. Thus, when the margin of the upperis cemented to the insole with or without additional holding means such as tacks, the pounding or heating; element may be utilized not only to even the bottom of the shoe, but to promote adhesion and to performed progressively around the margin of the shoe bottom so as to affect all parts of the shoe and if, as is usually the case when a preliminary pulling-over operation has been performed, the pulled-over portion is secured to the insole only at a relatively few points, the combined operation as characterized above may be practiced to work inwardly those portions of the pulled-over marginal portion that lie between the initial points of anchorage, so that the upper may be tightened uniformly at all points and so that all parts of the pulled-over margin may be secured in their final lasted position upon the insole by adhesion.

It has been found in practice that these combined operations may be accomplished most successfully by utilizing a pounding instrumentality having a-nurled or otherwise roughened work-engaging surface. Such surface has several advantages over a smooth working surface, for example, the small teeth that constitute the working surface indent the marginal portion of the upper sufficiently to obtain a non-slipping grip on the work so that the latter has no opportunity to escape from the working instrumentality while the upper-tightening operation is in progress. Again, in working on rubbershoes and arctics, in which the marginal portion of the upper is composed largely of rubber, the nurled or otherwise roughened surface of the working instrumentality disintegrates the material and forms a new surface of fresh rubber that is thus exposed, and when an outsole is subsequently applied and secured by cement the latter will adhere more strongly than it would adhere to an old surface. Subsequently to the laying of a rubber-outsole the shoe is subjected to a vulcanizing operation to weld or unite all the elements. The union thus formed by vulcanization is made more effective in consequence of the aforesaid disintegration of the marginal portion of the upper, since new rubber is brought into intimate relation with the outsole preparatory to the vulcanizing operation. Furthermore, the disintegrating eflect assists materially in evening the bottom of the lasted shoe, and particularly at the ends, since, at the latter, the margin of the upper is plaited or crimped as hereinbefore mentioned. Incidentally to tightening the upper where the crimps are formed the stock is redistributed and the re distribution is amplified very materially in consequence of the disintegrating effect produced by the pounding instrumentality. The evening efi'ect thus produced is so great that the preliminary trimming of the crimps may be dispensed with entirely.

In another aspect the invention provides a method of working the uppers of boots and shoes into finally lasted position, for instance at the sides of the shoe, which consists in presenting a shoe with its upper in engagement with a lasting tool at a distance from the bottom edge of the upper and turning or rocking the shoe to transfer the area of effective engagement of the tool with the upper toward the bottom edge of the upper and to work the margin of the upper inwardly and press it into adhering relation to the bottom face of the insole.

In still another aspect the invention provides for conforming the shank portion 0: a shoe, particularly a rubber-shoe or arctic, to the shank portion of the last. T 0 this end it is preferable to use a pounding instrument-ality of convex form and having a degree of convexity that enables it to enter the deepest part of the hollow in the shank portion of the last. For this purpose a roll is a simple and etlicient form of pounding instrumentality, and such roll may have a diameter of about two inches, with its periphery constituting the working surface. The machine shown by the accompanying drawings is provided with a pounding roll the periphery of which is nurled or otherwise roughened to grip and to disintegrate the marginal portion of the upper as aforesaid. The tool thus formed is adapted to depress the insole and the marginal portion of the upper into the deepest part of the shank of the last and to execute the combined pounding, disinte grating and upper-tightening operations at this part of the shoe simultaneously wi h the operation of conforming the shoe to the hollow of the last.

The pounding roll is preferably mounted upon a central pin or stud so as to be capable of turning about its axis in addition to imparting the aforesaid pounding impulses in lines transverse to its axis. The final stages of evening the bottom of the lasted shoe may, therefore, be conveniently performed by moving the shoe in directions that cause the nurled roll to turn about its axis while the pounding operation is in progress. In order to assist the operative in this respect it is desirable to use a guide-roll in such re lation to the pounding roll as to roll on the side of the shoe while the bottom of the shoe is held against the pounding roll, hoth rolls being preferaliily arranged to turn in respouse to movements of the shoe that cause the pounding roll to pound progressively along the margin of the shoe bottom.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which a machine adapted to carry out the method of the invention is illustrated,-

Fig. 1 represents an elevation, partly in vertical section, of a pounding machine with which a portion of a, partially lasted shoe is shown in one working position;

Fig. 2 's a view including the pounding instrumentality and the guide roll against both of which a portion of the shoe is held in another position;

Fig. 3 represents an end view of the int) lit)

Y which is at the left;

Fig; 4 represents a bottom View of a shoe the upper of which has been pulled over and partially lasted and its margin secured to the insole by adhesion and tacks; and

Fig. 5 represents a sectional view on a relatively large scale shovvin a fragment of a shoe containing a last ant a fragment of a toothed pounding tool acting on the pulledover margin of the upper, the margin being indented by the teeth of the tool.

The machine may embody any suitable design but for the purposes of illustration and not of limitation the machine selected embodies a general organization similar to that of the pounding machanism disclosed n United States Letters Patent No. 1,019,878, granted Mar. 12, 1912 on application of Orrell Ashton.

The pounding instrumentality indicated at 10 is carried by a movable holder that includes two parts indicated at 12 and 14 respectively. For the purpose of affording adjustment the part 12 is provided With a dovetailed rib 16 and the part 14 is proyided with a correspondingly formed portion adapted to clamp said rib. In order to afford such clamping action thepart 14 is split throughout a portion of its length and the portions so separated from each other are provided with a clamping screw 18'arranged to draw them together against the rib 16. The holder 12, 14 is arranged to slide bodily in suitable guides afforded by fixed elements as, according to the structure and arrangement of the corresponding elements shown in said patent. The part 14 includes a portion 24 arranged to be acted upon by an operating cam 26. This cam is carried by a shaft 28, and the latter may be driven by any suitable means, preferably at a speed that will produce rapid vibration of the pounding instrumentality. A body of fibrous material 30 such as felt is arranged to be engaged by the cam 26 and is intended to be saturated with a lubricant to minimize friction between the cam and the portion 24 of the vibratory holder; The fixed element 22 supports an adjustable plate 32 in position to contact With a portion of the part 14 to limit the movement of the vibra tory holder toward the cam. This plate is adjustable relatively to the element 22 and maybe clamped at any desired position by a clamping bolt 34. The guides in which the vibratory holder moves are inclined so that the latterwill normally gravitate toward the position to be occupied by the work,

and the raiige of movement of the holder is such that whenthe latter is in its extreme forward position the portion 24 will be out of the range of action of the cam, and the pounding instrumentality will, therefore,

remain stationary in its forward position excepting when it is moved into the range of action of the cam.

In the present instance the workingjinstrumentality is-a cylindric roll, this form being preferred for some kinds of work, but the invention, in its broad aspect, is not limited to this form, of pounding instrumentality. Furthermore, the pounding roll, as shown in Fig. 1, is divided transversely of its axis into a plurality of sections each of which is a complete roll in itself. These sections are mounted upon a stud 36 that is carried by the part 12 ofthe vibratory holder, and the roll sections are free to rotate relatively to each other and are capable of endwise movement relatively to the holder. An important feature of the pounding instrument-ality is that its working surface is composed of closely related teeth 38'- (Fig. 5), and these teeth are preferably sharply pointed. In order to produce teeth suitable" for operating as explained herein, the periphery of the roll maybe nurled while the metal is comparatively soft, and the roll would preferably be hardened after being so formed. I have found that teeth of pyramidal form are desirable and effec tive for the purposes ofthis invention.

A guide roll 40 is supportedin position to roll upon the side of a shoe While the bottom in vertical lines relatively to the frame-part 48, and bracket 44 is adjustable in horizontal lines relatively to bracket 46.

Stud 42 is provided with a head 54 for confining the guide roll, but the latter is free to move endwise and also to rotate rel atively to the stud, the range of endwise movement being limited by the head 54 and bracket 44. The axis of stud 42 is preferably inclined so that the roll will normally gravitate toward the operative and away from the axis of stud 36'.

In the use of the machine the manipulation of the shoe will depend to some extent on the character of the work, although the general principles will be the same with all kinds of work. Fig. 4 represents a bottom view of a partially lastedv rubber shoe in which the marginal portion 56 of the upper has been pulled over upon themargin of the insole 58, and secured to the latter by cement and by lasting tacks 60. Heretofore',

in mung rubber sees, it has been seats:

i no

ear to perform a complete lasting operation by hand or by a lasting machine before subjecting the lasted shoe to a pounding operation. Ordinarily it has been necessary to drive a relatively large number of lasting tacks to hold the pulled-over margin of the upper in the desired lasted position and to maintain tension throughout the upper. By virtue of this invention, however, the preliminary lasting operation may be materially curtailed as by driving only a relatively few lasting tacks, it any, prior to performing the pounding operation; the tool acting as a. lasting tool to work the upper tightly over the innersole. In any case, where the upper is worked over the ends of the last, the workedover portions have to be puckered or crimped, as indicated at 62, and these crimped or wrinkled portions have to be pounded down or otherwise reduced before the shoe is in condition to receive the outsole. hen the margin of the upper is cemented to the insole, with or without additional holding means such as lasting tacks, the pounding and overdrawing action as etl'ected in accordance with the present invention produces several distinct results.

For example, when the margin of the up per is pressed against the pounding instrumentality with sullicicnt force to move the portion 2i of the vibratory holder into the range of action oi the operating cam the latter strikes a series of sharp and rapid blows that cause the teeth 38 to indent the marginal portion as shown by Fig. 5. So long as the work is held against the pounding instrumentality with su'liicient pressure to maintain the indented or interlocked relation, as shown by Fig. 5, this relation may be utilized to draw the marginal portion inwardly over the bottom of the insole to complete the lasting operation, to promote adhesion between the marginal portion and the insole, and to reduce the crimps or lumps in the said portion. Furthermore, the teeth disintegrate the overlaid marginal portion and cited; a redistribution of material that the excess of material at some points is transferred to those points where there is no excess. The overdrawing action may be performed conjointly by the vibratory action of the pounding instrumcntality in lines indicated by arrows a and my movement oi the shoe in the direction indicated by arrow 7). \v'hen the shoe is so moved the marginal portion of the upper that is interlocked with the teeth :38 remains in substantially fixed relation to the pounding instrumentality so that at this point 01 the work the said portion is caused to creep inwardly relatively to the insole. It is to beunderstood that this operation should be performed at a time when the cement or other adhesivesubstance between the overlaid marginal portion and the insole is in a condition that will maintain the said portion in the position to which the latter is moved, as described.

In some cases the work may be presented to the rolls in the position shown by Fig. 2, wherein the overlaid portion of the upper is held against the pounding roll while the side of the shoe rests upon the guide roll. The latter is preferably rounded as indicated at 64: to provide a smooth liiearing for the work and to avoid marking the latter. According to Fig. :2 the guide roll is against its supporting bracket ll, having been moved to that position by the movement of the work toward the pounding roll. If the work be turned as indicated by arrows o in Fig. 2, while maintaining pressure of the work against the pounding roll, the overdrawing action oil the latter upon the upper will occur lirst at or beyond the edge of the insole, but as the turning 01' the work progresses the area of contact between the pounding roll and the marginal portion of the upper will advance toward the opposite edge of the shoe, and the roll will ultimately bear upon the bottom of the shoe, as shown by Fig. 1. Incidentally to this manipulation ot the shoe the guide roll will move endwise from the position shown by l ig. 2 to that shown by Fig. 1, the guide roll thus constituting a movable support for the shoe without forming any appreciable resistance to the manipulation of the shoe.

In rubber shoe work the insole is usually thicker in the middle part than around the margin, the relatively thick part constituting a filling that will be substantially level with the overlaid margin of the upper when the latter has been pounded down to .iinal position. The overdrawing action as one outed by the pounding instrmuontality serves to draw the edge of the upper to the edge 01 the filling portion of the insole and when the work is in the position shown by Fig. 1, the teeth of the pounding roll act simultaneously upon the marginal portion of the upper and upon the filling portion of the insole, and these two elements of the work are thus leveled relatively to each other and the bottom of the shoe is left in the desired condition for the reception ol an outsole.

The final leveling o1 wooing ol' the shoe bottom may be rmivruirully c-Elerlrzl by moving the shoe back and i'orlh horizontally ti-om side to side while the shoe is resting against both rolls, shown by Fig. 1. It, in the course of such maniy'iulatioli, the shoe is moved otherwise than strictly at right angles to the axis of either roll one or both rolls will move endwisc as occasion may require to avoid forn'iing an appreciable resistance to such manipulation.

messes In working the shank portion of the shoe into the acutely concaved shank portion of riphery or the pounding roll.

the last indicated by dotted lines at 66 in 8, the shoe will be held so that the contour of the last will correspond to the pe- In order to obtain the most desirableconformation to thispcrtion of the last the pounding instrumentality, whether it be in the form of a roll or not, would prefer ably have a curve: ture of small enough radius to enable it to go into the deepest part of the shank. Thus, the pounding instrumentality may be utilized not only to complete the lasting of the shoe throughout the shank portion, as by overdrawing. the marginal portion of the upper, but it may be used to conform both the insole and the over-worked and lasted portion of the upper to the hollow of the shank of the last.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The method of operating upon a shoe the marginal portion of the upper of which is held by adhesion to the insole, which consists in moving said portion of the upper relatively to the insole in a direction to tighten the upper against the last, and ap% plying successive pounding impulses to said portion in a dlreetion to promote adhesion as the upper is being tightened as aforesaid.

2. The method of operating upon a shoe the marginal portion of the upper of which is held by adhesion to the insole, which con sists in executing a series of percussional impacts against said portion in a direction to promote adhesion of the latter to the insole while maintaining stress on said portion continuously throughout the period including said impacts and in a direction such as to move the latter inwardly over the insole.

3 The method of operating upon a shoe the marginal portion of the upper of which is held by adhesion to the insole, which consists in continuously pulling the margin of the upper inwardly over the insole while c'ausing a series of pressing impulses ofthe pulling means and said margin, one against the other, in a direction to promote adhesion of the upper to the insole.

4:. That step in a methodot making shoes which consists in imparting upper-tighten ing movement to the margin of the upper overlying the insole by moving the shoe transversely of its length in the plane of a beating face while maintaining contact with the beating face.

. 5. That step in a method of making shoes which consists in imparting upper-tightening movement to the margin of the upper overlying the insole by moving the shoe axially of a transversely movable beating roll while holding the margin in contact with the periphery of the roll.

6, The method of operating upon a shoe the marginal portion of which is held to the bottom of the insole by adhesion, which con: sists in executing upper-tightening movements of said portion and pressure impulses in a direction to promote adhesion of the marginal portion to the insole.

7. The method of operating upon a shoe of which the margin of the upper is worked over a last andheld by adhesion to the insole, which consists in simultaneously pounding and indenting the said margin of the upper and moving the shoe relatively to the pounding-and-indenting instrumentality in a direction such as to force the margin of the upper further inwardly over the insole from the edge of the latter while the pounding-and-indenting operation is in progress.

8. The method of operating upon a partially lasted shoe the marginal portion of which is crimped and cemented to the insole at one end of the shoe, which consists in simultaneously pounding and indenting the crimpe d portion and moving the shoe relatively to the poundingand-indenting in strumentality in a direction such as to force the crimped portion inwardly over the insole from the edge of thelatter and to final lasted position whilethe pounding-andindenting operation is in progress.

9. The method of operating upon a pan tially lasted shoe the marginal portion of which is cemented to the insole, which 0011- sists in simultaneously pounding and indenting the marginal portion progressively around. the periphery of the shoe-bottom, and" completing the lasting by moving the shoe repeatedly, during the pounding-andindenting operation and relatively to the pounding-and indenting instrumentalit-y, in directions such as to Work the marginal portion inwardly in to final lasted position upon the insole.

10. That improvement in methods of lasting shoes, which consists in cementing one or both of the confronting surfaces of the insol and upper, fastening the margin of the upper temporarily in pulled-over relation to the insole, pounding the pulled-over portion of the upper in lines such as to pro mote adhesion of the upper and insole, moving the shoe relatively to the pounding instrumentality in a direction such as to work the pulled-over portion inwardly from the edge of the insole, and advancing the shoe step-by-step relatively to the pounding instrumentality to repeat the pounding and the working-in action progressively along the edge of the shoe.

11. The method of operating upon a partially lasted shoe of which one or both lapped faces of the upper and insole are adhesive, which consists in pounding the marginal portion of the upper against the insole and simultaneously moving the shoe relatively to the pounding instrui'nentality about an axis extending lengthwise of the shoe so as to work said portion inwardly from the edge oi? the insole.

12. The method of operating upon a par tially lasted shoe out which one or both lapped faces of the upper and insole are adhesive, which consists in causing the overlaid margin of the upper to creep inwardly from the edge of the sole by pounding the margin and simultaneously moving the work relatively to the pounding instrumentality in lines suljistantially parallel to the bottom of he last and transversely thereoi to draw the margin inwardly from the edge of the insole.

13. The step in a method of making a shoe of which the margin of the upper is overlaid on an insole, which consists in simultaneously pounding said margin and disintegrating the surface thereof.

lit. The step in a method of making a shoe of which the margin oi? the upper com prises rubber and is crimped upon the margin of the insole, which consists in simultaneously disintegrating and pounding the crimped portions.

15. The step in a method 01' making a shoe of which the margin of the upper comprises ruhl'ier and is lapped over upon the margin of the insole, which consists in simultaneousl: pounding, disintegrating, and redistributing the substance of the margin of the upper.

16. The step in a method of making a shoe of which the margin of the upper comprises rubber and is cemented to the margin of the insole in lapped relation, which consists in simultaneously pounding and disintegrating the margin of the upper and simultaneously moving the shoe relatively to the pounding instrumentality to work the margin inwardly from the edge of the insole.

17. The method oi operating upon a partially lasted shoe the marginal portion of vhich cemented to the insole, which con sists in. pressing said portion against a positively operated pounding tool having workindenting spurs on its pounding surface, and moving the shoe to tighten the upper against the last while the indenting pressure of the work and tool is maintained.

l8. The method of lasting a shoe of which one or both of the confronting faces of the upper and the insole are adhesive, which consists in pulling over the marginal portion of the upper and securing the latter to the insole at a con'iparatively few points, and thereafter sin'iultancously pounding and shifting the portions between said points illOfJQi'lSSiYtlf-i and relatively to the insole to work the said portions inwardly between f points.

10. The method of operating upon the crimpcd portions at one end of a lasted shoe of which said portions are composed oi: ruhher, which consists in simultaneously disintegrating, pounding, and redistrilmting said crimpt-d portions to equalize the distribution of substance and to term a new surface.

20. The method of operating upon a partially lasted rubber shoe the marginal portion oi the upper of which is held to the insole by adhesion at the shank-portion, which consists in pounding the marginal portion and the insole into th deepest part of the hollow in the shank of the last, and moving the shoe relatively to the pounding instrumentalit while maintaining pressure of the shoe against said instrumcutality, in a direction such to draw the said portion inwardly to l'inal lasted position upon the insole at said deepest part.

21. A machine for operating upon shoes comprising the combination with means for imparting rapid percussional impulses, of a serrated heating roll operatively connected to said means and arranged at an altitude and angle convenient for an operative to hold a shoe with its bottom pressed against the periphery of the roll with a ('Ullll'JOIlLlill of pressure directed axially ot the roll.

22. A machine For operating on a partially lasted shoe, coniprising apounding; tool "for acting on the marginal portion ol the upper, and means for imparting positive hammering action to the tool to pound said portion, said tool having a dentatc worltengaging surface to prevent relative edgewise movement of the upper so as to draw the upper inwardly and tension it over the or go of the insole into final lasted position upon transverse movement of the shoe rclatively to the lines of pounding movement.

28. A. machine for operating on a partially lasted shoe, comprising a pounding roll the periphery 01? which is arranged to act on the margin ol the upper, a reciprocahle holder for said roll relatively to which the roll is tree to turn, and means for imparting positive hammering action to said holder to pound said margin, said periphery embodying a dentatc l'ormatiou to prevent outward movement oi the margin transversely of its edge and to draw the margin inx *ardly from the edge of the insole in consequence of moving the shoe relatively to the roll and axially thereo't.

9st. A. machine for operating on a partially lasted shoe, comprising a pounding tool ha ving a working surface :lormed by a groun of pointed spurs for acting on the overlaid portion oi the upper, and means for impart ing positive hammering action to said tool to impress said spurs into said portion so as to grip the latter positively hy the cooperation oi? the insole, said tool hcing thereby ctlective to overdraw and to tension the upper positively in tumscqucnce ol relative movement of the shoe and the tool.

l l l messes 25. A machine for operating on a partially lasted shoe, coinprislng a pounding roll hava ing a peripheral working surface formed by closely related pointed spurs for acting on the overlaid portion of the upper, and means a for imparting positive hammering action to to draw the work inwardly from the edge of the insole in consequence of relative move ment of the shoe and the tool.

26. A machine for operating on a lasted shoe, comprising a pounding roll having a peripheral working surface for acting on the overlaid portion of the upper, said surface being formed by closely related pointed spurs adapted to disintegrate the surface of the overlaid portion, and means for imparting positive vibratory hammering action to said roll transversely of its axis, said roll being free to roll and to move endwise relatively to said means in response tomovement of the shoe during the pounding operation. 27. A machine for operating on a lasted shoe, comprising a pounding roll for acting on the bottom of the shoe, a guiding roll for traversing the side of the shoe, and means for imparting positive vibratory hammering action to said pounding roll to pound the work, said rolls being movable endwise in response to oblique feeding movement of the shoe.

28. A machine for pounding shoes, comprising a pounding roll, a holder therefor, a work-guiding roll, one of said rolls being movable endwise in response to *obliqne feed ing movement of the shoe, and means for vibrating said holder to pound the work.

29. A machine for pounding shoes, comprising a pounding roll, a holder therefor, a work-guiding roll the axis of which is substantially at right angles to that of the pounding roll, each of said rolls being movable endwise in response to oblique feeding movement of the shoe, and means for vibrating the holder to pound the work.

30. A machine for pounding shoes, comprising a pounding roll, a holder therefor, a work-guiding roll the axis of which is in clined to cause it to gravitate normally away from the pounding roll, each of said rolls having limited freedom to move endwise, and means for vibrating said holder to pound the work.

31. A machine for pounding shoes, comprising a pounding roll, means for vibrating the roll to pound the work, and a workguiding roll supported in co-operative relation to the pounding roll to form an angle for the reception of a portion of the shoe, each of said rolls being free to turn and free to move cndwise relatively to the other, one of said rolls being arranged to gravitate normally toward the axis of the other and the latter being arranged to gravitate normally away from the axis of the one specified. Y

32. A machine for pounding shoes, COTE? prising a pounding tool, means for operating said tool to pound the work, and a roll having 'a surface convexly curved 1ongitudinally of its axis for guiding the work at varying angles with relation to the pounding tool.

33. That improvement in methods of lasting shoes which consists in presenting a shoe with its upper in engagement with a lasting tool at a distance from the bottom edge of the upper and turning or rocking the shoe to transfer the area of effective engagement of the tool with the upper toward the bottom edge of the upper and to work the margin of the upper inwardly and press it into adhering relation to the bottom face of the insole.

34. That improvement in methods of lasting shoes which consists in engaging the upper at a distance from its bottom edge with a driven lasting tool adapted to act by friction to tighten the upper over the last, and while holding the shoe in frictional engagement with the lasting tool turning or rocking the shoe to transfer the area of its engagement with the tool toward the bottom edge of the upper and to work the margin of the upper inwardly and press it into ad" hering relation to the bottom face of the insole.

35. That improvement in methods of lasting shoes which consists in presenting a shoe with its upper in engagement with a frictional lasting tool and in such position that the bottom face of the insole is inclined to the shoe engaging face of the tool,- and turning or rocking the shoe in engagement with the tool to bring the bottom face of the insole into substantially parallel relation to the shoe engaging face of the tool to tighten the upper over the last and to press its margin into adhering relation to the 1 insole.

86. That improvement in methods of lastlng shoes which consists in engaging the upper at a distance from its bottom edge with a frictional lasting element, relatively moving the element and the shoe to transfer the area of effective engagement of the element with the upper progressively toward the edge of the upper to work the margin of the upper into parallel relation to the bot tom face of the insole and imparting to said element pounding impulses to beat the upper against the sole.

37. That improvement in methods of last; ing shoes in which the margin of the upper is fastened to the insole by adhesion, which consists in presenting the side of the shoe in engagement With a frictional lasting tool and while maintaining the shoe in continuous engagement with said tool turning 01' rocking the shoe laterally until the bottom face of the insole is substantially parallel to the shoe engaging face of the tool to tighten the upper over the last and to press its margin into adhering relation to the insole and imparting pounding impulses to the tool to eli'ect adhesion between the up per and insole.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES DE MINICO. 

